


Which Ray?

by Lucy410



Category: due South
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:41:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27101380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucy410/pseuds/Lucy410
Summary: When Fraser is forced to choose between his lover and his best friend which Ray will he choose?
Relationships: Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski
Comments: 1
Kudos: 18
Collections: Due South Archive





	Which Ray?

"You have to choose."

The words reverberated in Fraser's head. How could he be expected to choose between his lover and his best friend?

Up until this point the day had been going quite well. Granted Thatcher had him clearing out boxes from one of the bedrooms at the consulate, boxes that for some unexplained reason were full of paper flowers, and Turnbull had put his back out trying to move a bookcase by himself, but other than that everything was as normal.

"Phonecall for you, sir," Turnbull's voice drifted up the stairs and Fraser lost no time in hurrying down to him.

"Constable Fraser speaking."

"Frase, it's me."

Fraser could feel himself smiling, he did that every time he saw Ray, or heard Ray's voice. He was, he had quickly realised, besotted and he was having increasing difficulty hiding the fact from other people. Not that Ray and he were hiding exactly.

"Ray, is there a problem?"

He could almost hear the shrug on the other end of the line. "Vecchio and I have to go interview the victim of that attempted mugging again, we're going to his apartment, wondered if you might want to come along."

Fraser frowned, there had been something off about the victim's story and he couldn't help but feel uneasy about the two detectives interviewing him at his home.

"The precinct might be a better location for an interview." Fraser raised a hand and scratched at his ear.

"Not for a victim. Fraser, are you okay? Is this related to last night? Nothing bad's gonna happen, your spidey sense is way off on this one." A pause and Fraser could hear Ray tapping his fingers against his desk. "So, are you gonna come?"

"I can't." Fraser forced out the words that he didn't want to say. "Inspector Thatcher has me up to my ears in boxes. I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Frase. I guess I'll see you at home then."

"Be careful, Ray."

"Always am. Vecchio and I will be just fine."

Kowalski had ended the call with his usual lack of ceremony and Fraser, handing the handset back to a prostrate Turnbull, frowned and, fighting the urge to call Ray back, he went back upstairs to his boxes.

Over the next hour the boxes he was moving grew progressively larger and heavier, Fraser paused to remove his red serge tunic and wipe the sweat from his forehead. His back was starting to ache, perhaps he would be able to persuade Ray to indulge him with a massage before bed. The thought made him smile.

"Phonecall for you, Constable Fraser." That was Thatcher's voice and Fraser winced.

"Sorry, sir." Fraser took the handset.

"I'm not your answering service, Constable. And I want you back to work asap." The woman glared at him and Fraser raised the handset to his ear.

"Constable Fraser speaking."

"I want you to choose."

"I'm sorry. " He had been expecting it to be Ray again, but he found he didn't recognise the voice.

"If you choose Kowalski, I'll kill Vecchio. If you choose Vecchio I'll kill Kowalski. If you don't choose I'll kill both of them."

A deep cold sensation was spreading through Fraser's stomach and the knuckles gripping the phone had turned white.

"Constable?" That was Thatcher, watching him, a slight frown on her face.

He held up a hand and saw the frown deepen.

"Who is this?"

"You know who I am, Fraser. You met me last week." The voice changed. It became higher and sounded as though the speaker were on the verge of tears. "I'm sorry, I don't remember anything else, it all happened so quickly."

"Billy." The supposed mugging victim, he'd been right after all, but the knowledge gave him no satisfaction.

"I've been a fan of yours for some time, but now I think it's time you make a choice. Which Ray do you want to work with, Fraser? Which Ray are you willing to sacrifice?"

Of course the answer was neither of them but that wasn't what Billy wanted to hear. He needed to buy some time.

"Your name's not Billy, is it." Fraser switched the handset across and with a shaky hand grabbed the nearest pen. /Call Welsh, Rays in trouble/, he scrawled the words on a piece of scrap paper and thrust it at Thatcher.

"My name's not important, your choice is the only thing that matters now."

"I want to talk to them, so I know they're all right." Thatcher had disappeared into her office and Fraser hoped she was making the call.

"If you think it would help." There was smug satisfaction in that voice and Fraser allowed himself to hope that this was all some sort of joke. The man he remembered had been of slight build, below average height, a pushover in anyone else's words.

A pause, a slight crackle on the line and then Ray's voice in his ear.

"Frase?"

"Satisfied?"

"No." The hand that wasn't holding the phone had curled itself into a fist.

"Would you like to see them? I imagine that will make your choice even more difficult." The man reeled off an address. "And come alone. I'll know if you bring anyone along."

Dead air and Fraser let the phone fall from his hand. He turned and saw Thatcher.

"Go."

Fraser nodded. "Here's the address. " He handed over a scrap of paper. "Tell Lieutenant Welsh that he mustn't get too close."

Fraser didn't wait to see if she understood, but grabbed his tunic and, with a nod to Diefenbaker, ran from the building.

It was a low rise apartment, half built but as is often the way the two lower floors appeared to be already occupied. Fraser walked around the perimeter slowly. There was only one security camera that he could see, Welsh, Huey and Duey and a host of uniformed officers were kicking their heels a block away, he had seen them but didn't stop. No time for that. Ray, both Rays needed him, and he had no idea yet as to what he was going to do.

There was an open first floor window and Fraser hesitated, if he went in that way then he might be able to take Billy by surprise, but there was too much at stake and he had to play Billy's game, at least for a little while.

Diefenbaker whined and Fraser took a moment to pet him. He crouched down in the narrow alleyway and pulled Diefenbaker's head towards him, he needed the wolf to pay attention.

"Ray's in there. Wait."

Fraser walked away back to the front of the building, leaving Diefenbaker to keep his vigil by the window.

The door was standing open, it hadn't been previously. He was being invited inside.

"Welcome, Constable Benton Fraser." There was Billy, looking a lot less cowed then he had the last time Fraser had seen him.

"Where are they?"

"This way." Billy pushed a door open and stepped through it, Fraser followed.

There they were. Both Rays tied to chairs and both looking decidedly the worst for wear.

"So, Fraser, which one are you going to pick?"

"Frase, get out of here," Kowalski turned his battered face towards his lover. "Don't give him what he wants. "

"Shut up." Billy sprang across the room and pressed his gun against Kowalski's head.

" Go on, pull the trigger." Kowalski's voice was rough and husky, forced out between bruised lips. One eye was swollen shut but the other was looking directly at Fraser. "Then Fraser won't have to choose, will he?"

"Ray..."

But if Fraser had been about to say anything else, it was cut off by Billy's snarl and a rapid bringing his gun to bear on Fraser.

"I didn't bring you here for a chat."

"I can see that." Fraser holding his hands out wide, turned his attention on to Ray Vecchio.

Unlike Kowalski his face was relatively unmarked, although there was one large dark bruise high on his forehead. The man showed no awareness of Fraser's presence. The ropes wrapped around his torso were, Fraser could see, the only things holding him upright and at first it looked as though he weren't breathing. He was taking shallow breaths, indicative of internal injuries. With effort Fraser turned his gaze back onto Billy.

The man giggled. "As I told you I'm a big fan of yours, but I've always wondered if it came down to it, which Ray would you pick?"

"I would choose both of them." Vecchio still seemed unaware of Fraser and a sideways glance at Kowalski showed him that the man's eyes were closed, /but he's listening to every word/.

"Wrong answer, I'm afraid. You have to choose. If you don't." Another giggle. "I'll kill both of them. So, Fraser, which Ray is the most important to you?"

It was an impossible decision. How could he choose between his lover and his best friend? Fraser closed his eyes.

Last night he had come home late, exhausted. Ray, blonde hair still wet from the shower, had greeted him with a kiss.

Ray had seen how tired he was and provided a meal without further comment. They had moved around each other as effortlessly as they always did and when Fraser said he was going to bed, Ray had not complained, merely kissed him good night and wished him pleasant dreams.

But the dreams hadn't been pleasant and Fraser had woken up, drenched in sweat. He couldn't remember the details of the dream, but he did remember the feeling of impending doom.

Ray.

Fraser found him slumped on the couch and the man offered no complaints as Fraser kissed him. They made love on the couch in front of the flickering television and then again in bed before Fraser had fallen asleep, but Fraser couldn't get rid of his feeling that something was wrong.

And now here he was, being forced to choose between the two most important people in his life.

He opened his eyes and looked, really looked, at both Rays. Vecchio still slumped in the chair and Kowalski, his good eye filled with rage and indignation.

"Which one?"

"Ray."

"You're going to have to be a little more specific than that."

"I choose Ray Vecchio." Fraser almost shouted the words, he had never felt more helpless or more alone.

"Why?" Billy was grinning, the hand holding his gun dangling at his side. He was enjoying himself and Fraser felt a wave of bile rising in his throat.

"Does it matter?"

"Of course it matters. Tell me why."

When Fraser finally spoke he kept his voice low and measured. "Because he's loyal and brave, because he would and has put himself in the line of fire to protect me, because he'll always try to help me and because I love him and I know he loves me."

"See." Billy was grinning. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"

The man was busy undoing Ray Vecchio's bonds and Fraser caught him as he fell from the chair.

"Good choice, Fraser." Billy was grinning.

Fraser scooped Ray into his arms, his friend still seemed largely unaware, although he had briefly opened his eyes when Fraser had stopped him from falling.

"Benny?"

"I've got you." Fraser, all too aware that the man in his arms was injured, turned back towards Billy. "I do have one request to make."

Magnanimous now that he had got what he wanted, Billy smiled. "Okay."

"Let me get Ray out, let me get him out of the building before you..." Fraser couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence. Couldn't quite believe he was going to walk out and leave Ray Kowalski behind.

"Sure, Fraser. Anything for you."

He couldn't bear to look over at Ray, wasn't sure what expression he would see on his lover's face. He could still feel Ray's hands, reaching out for him, holding him, bringing him to a climax that for the first time had made him weep.

One tear, just one, trickled across his cheek. A deep sigh and Fraser got a better hold on Vecchio and walked away.

The only sound he could hear was the blood pumping round his body, the only other thing he was aware of was the weight of the man in his arms. And then he was blinking in the sunlight and paramedics were rushing forward to take Vecchio from him, Lieutenant Welsh and Inspector Thatcher on their heels.

"Ray's still in there." Fraser shook his head. "He's going to kill him." Fraser took a step towards the building and swung his head round to look at the security camera.

One heartbeat, two. Then a volley of barks and the ringing sound of a gunshot.

Fraser started forward but Welsh had a hand on his shoulder.

There was a figure, someone coming towards them. The air around Fraser thickened and time slowed.

Finally he could make out Ray Kowalski's battered face and Welsh could no longer hold him.

"Ray." He closed his arms around the man and Kowalski, his hands bloodied and bruised, relaxed into the embrace, despite the onlookers.

"Hey, Frase."

Fraser reached out and touched Ray's face. He was doing his best to be gentle but Ray still flinched.

"I'm sorry." Fraser paused, there was never going to be a good time to address the issue so he shouldn't wait. "And I'm sorry for the choice I made."

"It was the right decision, Frase. Vecchio needed you."

"And what I said, the explanation..."

Ray laid a finger on Fraser's lips. "I know. And now it's my turn to say sorry."

Fraser's eyes widened with genuine confusion. "What for?"

"For not listening to you. You said last night you'd had a premonition and I laughed. You asked me to be careful, remember."

"I remember." The jangling in his stomach had faded away now, Ray was safe. Both Rays were safe.

"You want to go to the hospital, check on Vecchio?"

Ray really did know him very well indeed.

"You're injured too, remember?"

"Then I'll get patched up at the same time." Ray shrugged. "It's a win win. "

Fraser found he had to swallow hard against the lump that was in his throat. He couldn't have loved Ray more than in that moment.

Ray must have seen it. "Don't go getting all mushy on me, Frase. Plenty of time for that when we get home. You'll have to drive though."

He really was the luckiest man in the world, Fraser reflected with not just one Ray in his life but two.


End file.
